Community Calendar

The Cortez Journal encourages people to submit announcements about upcoming events for the Community Calendar. Send announcements to news@cortezjournal.com. Items submitted at least two weeks in advance will have a better chance of getting published; items submitted several days before the event might not get published. For more information, call the Journal at 565-8527.

Southwest Inter-Tribal Council

The next community meeting of the Southwest Inter-Tribal Council, sometimes referred to as the Montezuma/Dolores Human Rights Coalition will be held on April 10, beginning at 6 p.m., at the First National Bank meeting room in Cortez.

For more information, call Guy Gilleshammer at (303) 345-1450.

Business After Hours

The Cortez Area Chamber of Commerce' Business After Hours is Thursday, April 11, from 5 to 7 p.m. at The Nest (Four Corners Child Advocacy Center) 140 N. Linden St. in Cortez. Come by and tour, meet the staff and directors and enjoy some great food.

Business After Hours events are designed to help Chamber members make valuable business contacts, entertain clients or customers, reward employees, spend time with co-workers and most of all, enjoy doing it at the area's premier networking opportunity without the time clock ticking. Held the second Thursday of each month, Business After Hours are free and open to all Chamber Members and invited guests. Contact Chamber Director Dena Guttridge at 565-3414 for more information.

Free parenting classes

at The Pinon Project

The Pinon Project will be offering a series of free Infant parenting classes beginning Thursday, April 11, and lasting eight weeks. This class is geared toward parents of prenatal-12 month old infants. This class is for anyone who is looking for more ideas on how to communicate and listen to their baby, wants to learn more about the baby's developmental milestones, or wants new activities to do with the baby.

Classes will be held from 9:30 to 11:30 at the Pinon Project, 300 N. Elm Street, Cortez. Lunch will be served and child care is provided for older siblings. Infants will attend the class with parents. To register, please contact Lara Blair or Lynn Soukup at 564-1195. Space is limited, so sign up soon.

Nullification, what is that?

If you ever had questions about nullification, then come and hear speaker Jim Mahlberg at the next meeting of The Republican Women at Shiloh's on Friday, April 12 at noon.

Public is invited. For questions contact Rosemarie at 564-1576.

Library storytime

"Splash into April" is the April theme of Raising Readers Storytime at the Cortez Public Library, located at 202 N. Park St.

Storytime is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. for preschool-aged children. Older children are welcome to come for the craft at 11:15 a.m.

"Magic" will be discussed on April 11. "April is Mathematics Education Month" will be the focal point on April 18 and we'll wrap up the month with "Winnie-the-Pooh and Friends" on April 25.

Raising Readers Storytime offers songs, stories, crafts and silliness and uses the Early Childhood Literacy Initiative program. For more information, contact the library at 970-565-8117.

Computer classes at Cortez library

The Cortez Public Library, 202 N. Park St., and the Unlimited Learning Center will offer computer classes in April.

Staff from the Southwest Colorado Workforce Center will be teaching a computer class on finding a job on Friday, April 12, at 1 p.m.

On Thursday, April 25 at 1 p.m. the Cortez Public Library will present "Getting an Email with Gmail."

All classes at the library must be signed up for ahead of time. Sign up by calling 565-8117 or by stopping by the library. To find out more about the classes at the Unlimited Learning Center call 565-1601.

San Juan College Contest Pow Wow

The San Juan College Contest Pow Wow will take place on April 12 and 13 at McGee Park at the San Juan County Fairgrounds.

Admission is $6 for individuals 6 to 59. Toddlers and seniors are free.

For more information, call the San Juan College Native American Center at (505) 566-3321.

Mesa Fun Run/Walk Benefit

for Cortez Animal Shelter

Saturday, April 13, at 9 a.m., Mesa Elementary School will host a 1.5 mile run/walk to benefit the Cortez Animal Shelter. The run will begin at Mesa School, continue on the Hawkins Preserve trail, and end back at Mesa School.

Participants need to bring a $5 donation or any of the following items to be donated to the Cortez Animal Shelter: bleach, liquid laundry soap, paper towels, cat litter, or dog treats such as rawhides or Milk Bones. Informational booths promoting healthy living, nutrition and the Hawkins Preserve will be on site. Contact Roxanne Stevens at Mesa School 565-3858 for more information.

Register that morning at 8:30; the run begins at 9. Prizes will awarded to first place male/female adults, third- through fifth-graders, and kindergarteners through second-graders.

Western Stars Weekend

The Colorado Chapter of the Western Music Association will hold a concert on Saturday, April 13, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Montezuma-Cortez High School Auditorium. "Miss Devon and the Outlaw" is made up of Devon Dawson and Jessie Robertson. Dawson is a western-swing star who sang as 'Jessie the Cowgirl' on the Disney CD of Toy Story. Kristyn Harris, 18, loves singing and playing multiple string instruments. Last, but not least, is Janet McBride, known as "Queen of the Yodelers." Tickets are $10 at the door, with youth 12 and under free.

On Sunday, April 14, there will be a free western yodeling-music workshop for ages 4-21 at the Baptist Chapel at 1509 N. Dolores Road near Cortez.

There will be a potluck at 6 p.m. Monday, April 15, and a concert at 7 p.m. at the Southwest Cowboy Church, one mile west of Highway 491 on County Road S. A love offering will be taken.

9Health Fair coming to Mancos

The 2013 9Health Fair, sponsored locally by the Mancos Valley Loins Club, will be held April 13 at the Mancos Middle School from 7 a.m. to noon. Don't miss this opportunity for low-cost and free health care screenings for individuals over the age of 18.

Participants can review screening options, register and pre-pay for their screenings online at www.9healthfair.org. There will be a separate entry for the pre-pay participants; watch for signs.

Volunteers are needed during the fair and for setup and clean up. If you are interested in helping with the 9Health Fair, non-medical volunteers can contact Val Hobson at 533-7874 and medical volunteers can contact Deana Yeomans at 533-7985.

Low cost vaccination clinic

For Pets' Sake Humane Society will host a Low-Cost Dog and Cat Vaccination Clinic from 9 a.m. until noon on Saturday, April 13 at the IFA Country Store, 10501 Highway 491 in Cortez. Veterinarian Dr. Sue Grabbe with Four Corners MASH will offer dog and cat packages which include rabies, distemper, parvo (dogs), leukemia (cats), and more for $40 each, or $15 for rabies only. Packages without rabies are just $32. Exact change is appreciated, checks are okay, but NO credit cards please. Dogs must be on leashes and cats must be in carriers. A portion of each package purchased will be donated to For Pets' Sake. For more information call the Humane Society at 565-7387.

Gun Owners of America speaker

The Republican Women's Club of Montezuma County will sponsor a visit by Larry Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America for more than 30 years.

GOA is a national organization dedicated to Second Amendment rights. According to a press release, it has more than 300,000 members and "lobbies for the pro-gun position in Washington, D.C. and is involved in firearm issues in the states. GOA's work includes providing legal assistance to those involved in lawsuits with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the federal firearms law enforcement agency."

Pratt's program will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, at the Lewis-Arriola Community Center, 21176 Road S. Pratt will be speaking on "The Second Amendment and the Sanctity of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms."

Refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Aimee King at (970) 882-7653.

SBDC "Marketing for Smarties"

The Small Business Development Center at Fort Lewis College is offering a "Marketing for Smarties" class at Durango Space from 1 to 5 p.m. April 16, May 2 and May 16. The fee is $199. Register by calling (970) 247-7009; e-mailing Asano_l@fortlewis.edu; or online at https://www.coloradosbdc.org/.

A "Starting Your Business" workshop also will be held at the Durango Public Library from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 18. Walk-ins are welcome, and the fee is $25.

Program on Trail Canyon

The Montezuma County Historical Society will sponsor a program featuring "Trail Canyon, 6 Miles long and 10,000 years deep," by authors Howard "Bud" Poe and Ann Butler. Within its length, the Canyon has stories to tell of every wave of humanity that passed through Montezuma County.

The presentation will take place on Wednesday, April 17, at 7 p.m., in Hampton Hall of the United Methodist Church, 515 N. Park St., Cortez, and will include a book signing and sale.

For more information about Historical Society and its programs, contact Phil or VIvienne Kenyon, program chairpersons, (970) 565-7714.

Rent-heat rebate training

Southwest Center for Independence will hold rent-heat rebate training at the Calvin Denton Room at Empire Electric on Friday, April 19, from 9 to 11 a.m.

This program is for Colorado residents whose income is $12,481 or lower for one person or below $16,476 for two or more people in a household. Applicants must be 65 or older, a surviving spouse 58 or older, or a disabled individual.

For more information, contact Rose Romero at (970) 759-2347.

One-man show about reformer

Don Kirk will present a one-man show entitled "An Interpretive Biography of Samuel Joseph May." May was a radical social reformer at a time in the 1800s when it was both unpopular and dangerous to be so.

The 45-minute program will be presented on Friday, April 19, at 5 p.m. at the Cortez Cultural Center, 25 N. Market, and on Saturday, April 20, at 2 p.m. at St. Barnabas Church Hall, 110 W. North Street.

For more information, call Kirk at (970) 739-4064.

Free FireWise presentation

The Four Corners Builders Association invites the public to a free program by Rebecca Samulski of Firewise of Southwest Colorado on Tuesday, April 23, beginning at 7 p.m..

Samulski will provide insight on creating an environment to protect a home from showering embers during wildfires. The program will be an introduction to proper sight design, construction, landscaping and maintenance for homes in wildfire-prone areas.

The event will be held at the First National Bank meeting room, 2258 E. Main, Cortez.

For more information, call (970) 565-1771.

Free chronic pain clinic

Community members are invited to join Susan Matthews for a free chronic pain clinic introducing to how to use tai chi and qigong to find relief from pain including arthritis, fibromyalgia, low back pain, neck and shoulder pain. Participants will learn relaxation techniques and whole-body biomechanics that improve posture.

The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on April 27 at the Millennium Center, 20 W Main Street, downtown Cortez.

On May 4, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.,at the new Millennium Center in downtown Cortez, Susan Matthews will lead a free introduction to tai chi exercise with visualizations, mental practices, and movement biomechanics that exercise the brain and create whole-body mind and movement coordination. People of all ages can use this information to calm the nervous system, improve balance and coordination, posture, cardiovascular health and weight. Persons with brain injury and mobility disorders can rehabilitate and relieve pain.

FireWise of Southwest Colorado, the Southwest Colorado Bar Association, and Colorado State Forest Service are seeking volunteers to plant almost 1500 seedling shrubs and trees on eight private properties affected by the Weber Fire last summer.

From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 27, FireWise will need around 100 volunteers to celebrate Earth Day restoring parts of the Weber Fire burn area. This will be a fun day, sun or shine, to get dirty and give something back to a mountain and community that lost its forest.

The Four Corners Dairy Goat Breeders will hold a dairy goat information day on Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 23161 Rd. G.2 in Cortez.

Ask questions about raising dairy goats. See animals and get advice and demonstrations on care and maintenance. Multiple breeds will be represented. Some will be available for sale. Some equipment may be available for sale.

For more information call Jeanette at 565-9065 and leave a message.

Lakeview Harmony Club Centennial

The Lakeview Harmony Club, established in May 1913, will celebrate its 100th anniversary on Sunday, May 19, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Lewis Grange Hall, East of Highway 145 on Road M. The event will include music, refreshments and door prizes.

The Lakeview Harmony Club, organized by pioneer women, is a community fellowship and service group. Family and friends of past members are invited to attend.